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Did you know that kittens can go into heat and get pregnant as early as 4 months old and puppies around 5 months old? If not sterilized, puppies and kittens can get pregnant and have a litter of their own just two months later. And it’s these accidental litters that end up in animal shelters with no place to call home.To reduce these accidental births, Hawaii Island Humane Society (HIHS), with funding provided by PetSmart Charities, is introducing the Did You Know? Campaign, featuring a special $20 spay or neuter surgery for puppies and kittens under six months of age during the month of June.

While some pet parents may worry that their pet is too young for this procedure, spaying and neutering is safe and easy for kittens and puppies as young as eight to 10 weeks old, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. In fact, Hawaii Island Humane Society has performed more than 5,000 pediatric spay/neuter surgeries since 2008.

“Many owners put off the procedure and wait until the puppy or kitten is six to eight months old,” says Donna Whitaker, HIHS Executive Director. “But by then, it can be too late. By then, a litter of puppies or kittens can be born.”

This special rate is even less than the organization’s normal low-cost priced and is available to all residents of Hawaii Island.

Pet parents who wish to take advantage of this offer must mention the “Did You Know?” promotion when they call to schedule their appointment.

Thanks to the PetSmart Charities grant, HIHS will provide 100 puppy and kitten sterilizations for $20 during June. Please visit HIHS.org, call the HIHS Spay Neuter Hotline at 987-7208 or call 329-1175 for more information or to schedule an appointment. Appointments will be taken on a first-come first-served basis beginning Monday, May 6.

It may not yet be summer, but now is the time to “beat the heat” by spaying your cat in advance of her heat cycle and preventing unwanted litters before kitten season arrives this spring – a time when shelters traditionally see large numbers of unwanted litters being born. To help reduce the number of homeless cats, Hawaii Island Humane Society (HIHS) is offering a “Beat the Heat” promotion sponsored by PetSmart Charities. In celebration of Spay Day USA in February, HIHS will spay 50 female cats for a special rate of $20.

Spaying and neutering is one of the most effective ways to reduce the homeless pet population. While some worry that their pet may be too young for this procedure, spaying and neutering is safe for kittens as young as eight to 10 weeks old. And, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, spaying a female cat before the first heat cycle is actually beneficial, rather than waiting until after one heat cycle has occurred. The procedure is known to improve the health of the pet, including a reduced risk of certain reproductive cancers and infections.

“Many people don’t know that female cats can have as many as three litters a year, and kittens can breed as young as four months old,” says Donna Whitaker, HIHS Executive Director. “It’s our goal to bring female cats in before they go into heat and become pregnant. Our ‘Beat the Heat’ promotion is a fun way to educate the community and prevent unwanted litters.”

This special rate of $20 is available to the first 50 domestic cat owners who sign up between January 16 and 31 at the Keaau or Kona shelters. Twenty surgeries will be allotted to cat owners in Keaau and in Ocean View and 10 surgeries allotted to cat owners in Kona during the month of February. Cat parents who wish to take advantage of this offer must mention the “Beat the Heat” promotion when they sign up. The promotion is based on availability. HIHS also sells specially priced spay/neuter coupons that are accepted by many island veterinarians. Male cat neuter coupons are $30 and female cat spay coupons are $60, which is nearly half what you’d otherwise pay.Please visit HIHS.org or call 329-1175 or the Spay/Neuter Hotline at 987-7208 for more information.